Incinerating toilet and burner with ceramic head

ABSTRACT

A fuel burner in which the flame supporting portion is a ceramic nozzle tube attached to an electrically conductive supply tube which supplies fuel through one end of the ceramic tube to support a flame emitting from the other end of the ceramic tube. The ceramic tube has first and second transverse electrodes projecting generally along diameters of the ceramic tube with the electrodes at approximately right angles to each other and spaced axially in the tube from each other to provide a spark gap therebetween. One of the electrodes extends axially on the outer surface of the ceramic tube to a hook end which projects inwardly through a bore in the fuel supply tube for securing the ceramic tube to the fuel supply tube. The fuel supply tube is grounded to ground the electrode. The other electrode is connected to a high voltage source to produce a spark across the gap for igniting a fuel-air mixture entering the ceramic tube from the fuel supply tube. An incinerating toilet utilizing the ceramic head burner is also provided.

United States Patent [1 1 Helke [4 1 Jan. 1,1974

{ INCINERATING TOILET AND BURNER WITH CERAMIC HEAD [75] Inventor: Robert C. Helke, Fontana, Wis.

[73] Assignee: La Mere Industries, Inc., Walworth,

Wis.

[22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 281,321

Primary ExaminerEdward G. Favors Attorney-James F. Coffee et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A fuel burner in which the flame supporting portion is a ceramic nozzle tube attached to an electrically conductive supply tube which supplies fuel through one end of the ceramic tube to support a flame emitting from the other end of the ceramic tube. The ceramic tube has first and second transverse electrodes projecting generally along diameters of the ceramic tube with the electrodes at approximately right angles to each other and spaced axially in the tube from each other to provide a spark gap therebetween. One of the electrodes extends axially on the outer surface of the ceramic tube to a hook end which projects inwardly through a bore in the fuel supply tube for securing the ceramic tube to the fuel supply tube. The fuel supply tube is grounded to ground the electrode. The other electrode is connected to a high voltage source to produce a spark across the gap for igniting a fuel-air mixture entering the ceramic tube from thefuel supply tube. An incinerating toilet utilizing the ceramic head burner is also provided.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN H84 3,782,886

SHEU 1 BF 2 PATENTEDJAH new SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. 2

FIG. E

FIG. 3

INCINERATING TOILET AND BURNER WITH CERAMIC HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to fluid fuel burners and more particularly relates to incinerating toilets and other incinerating disposal devices or systems employing such burners.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Incinerating disposal systems, such as incinerating toilets are in common use. Such toilets usually employ fluid fuel burners. For example, a pre-examination search on the present invention turned up the following patents which disclosed incinerator sanitary closets employing gas burners or the like:

Blankenship et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,709, Jauch et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,534, Anderson et a1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,391 and Wood U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,049.

Additionally, some burners employ ceramic parts and in this respect the pre-examination search turned up Fruth et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,448 which utilizes a sleeve of ceramic material composed of 40% talc, 40% clay and kaolin. Burners employing refractory parts are disclosed in Campbell et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,925 and Hepburn et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,148,466. However, such burners are of expensive construction and are not generally accepted for use in incinerating toilets where it is important to have sure ignition each time the burner is fired, even when recently shut down from a prior use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a burner having a ceramic head with a spark gap igniter system mounted within and insulated by the head. The spark gap system includes a pair of electrodes traversing the ceramic head interiorly and spaced from each other to provide a spark gap therebetween. In an especially prepared form, one of the electrodes has a hooking element to engage an electrically conductive fuel supply line to anchor the head on the end of the supply line and the supply line can be grounded to ground the electrode. In such form, the other electrode is connected to a high voltage source to provide a spark at the spark gap. The burner is capable of withstanding temperatures well over l,000F. and can withstand thermal shock associated with incinerating toilet use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through an incinerating toilet such as that more particularly described in Frankel copending patent application Ser. No. 108,050, illustrating the mounting of the burner within an incinerating toilet;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through the burner system shown in the incinerating toilet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the outlet end of the burner; and

FIG. 4 is a section generally along line 44 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning first to FIG. 1, the incinerating toilet includes a housing having a top opening 20 in the top wall thereof. A toilet seat 22 is provided mounted on the top wall and having a seat port 22a in registry with top opening 20a for delivery of waste product into the toilet.

A skirt 24 is provided spaced outwardly from housing 20 providing a cooling air passage 26 between housing 20 and skirt 24. Skirt 24 terminates short of the lower end of housing 20 for free entry of air into space passage 26. Housing 20 has upper air ports 28 near the top of the skirt and lower air ports 30 below the bottom of the skirt for entry of air into the top and bottom of the housing. Such air is used as either combustion or cooling air as described in the aforementioned Frankel U.S. Ser. No. 108,050.

At the rear of housing 20, there is provided an exhaust outlet 32 which can be connected to suitable exhaust duct work (not shown). An exhaust blower 34 is driven by motor 36 and mounted to exhaust air from the interior of housing 20 through exhaust outlet 32. Exhaust blower 34 has an exhaust chamber or plenum 38 the inlet of which is controlled by an exhaust control valve 40 as described in the aforementioned Frankel copending patent application.

Mounted within housing 20 in the upper portion thereof is a tapered wall forming a receptacle 42 having an open bottom. A combustion pot 44 is mounted below receptacle 42 for receiving waste products therefrom. A movable trap door can be provided between receptacle 42 and combustion pot 44 as described in application Ser. No. 108,050. Burner 50 is mounted in the forward portion of combustion pot 44 and is trained downwardly at an angle for combusting waste products within combustion pot 44.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 through 4, the burner 50 includes a ceramic head or nozzle tube 52 which is telescopically received over the end of an electrically con ductive fuel supply tube. The fuel supply tube 54 supplies fuel such as a gas-air mixture to the interior of ceramic tube 52. A suitable system for supplying a gasair mixture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,473.

First and second electrodes 56 and 58 are mounted through bores in the walls of tube 52 to traverse the interior of tube 52. In the embodiment shown, electrodes 56 and 58 are of Inconel 600 wire having a diameter of about 0.093 inches. Other heat resistant, electrically conductive corrosion resistant materials can be used if desired. In the embodiment shown, the two electrodes 56 and 58 are mounted along diameters of tube 52 generally at right angles to each other and are spaced axially from each other. In the specific construction shown, the outer diameter of the ceramic tube 52 is 1% and the inner diameter is about 0.895 inch and the electrodes are spaced about one-eighth of an inch on center axially from each other.

Electrode 56 extends outwardly of tube 52 through an insulator 60 to a terminal 62 for connection of a high voltage line from a high voltage source. The other end of electrode 56 is anchored by over-sized portion or crimp 64 abutting a washer 66 which in turn abuts the outer surface of the wall of tube 52. Electrode 58 is generally J-shaped and is anchored at one end by a retaining clip 70 which forms the top of the J. The electrode extends through bores in the tube wall and then axially along the outer surface of tube 52 at the bottom of the J and then upwardly as a hooking element 72. Hooking element 72 extends through a semi-circular groove 74 in the end of ceramic tube 52 and then through a bore 76 in fuel supply tube 54 to lock the ceramic tube 52 on the end of fuel supply tube 54. The spark gap provided between the electrodes 56 and 58 is indicated by reference numeral 80.

Returning now to FIG. 1, a suitable gas-air supply is provided by a pressurizer blower 84 such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,473. Blower 84 receives gas from gas supply line 88 and mixes the gas with air and delivers the air through tube 86 to supply tube 54 for delivery into ceramic tube 52. Valve controls in the gas-air mix supply can be used as needed for safety purposes.

The foregoing description is to be considered as an exemplary disclosure and is not intended to be limiting on the claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid fuel burner comprising a ceramic nozzle tube, means for supplying fuel to one end of the tube for supporting a flame from the other end of the tube, a first electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby and a second electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby in spark gap proximity to said first electrode to define a spark gap therebetween, one of said electrodes being grounded, said fuel supplying means being an electrically conductive metal conduit and the grounded electrode being generally J -shaped, including a hook element for engaging and securing to said metal conduit and extending to the supplying means and including means for securing the ceramic cylinder to the supplying means thereby grounding the electrode.

2. The burner system of claim 1 wherein said metal conduit is a conduit for delivering a gas-air mixture.

3. A fluid fuel burner comprising a ceramic nozzle tube, means for supplying fuel to one end of the tube for supporting a flame from the other end of the tube, a first electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby and a second electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby in spark gap proximity to said first electrode to define a spark gap therebetween, said ceramic tube being cylindrical and said first and second electrodes traversing each other.

4. The burner system of claim 3 wherein said first and second electrodes are at approximately right angles to each other and lie generally on diameters of said tube. =l 

1. A fluid fuel burner comprising a ceramic nozzle tube, means for supplying fuel to one end of the tube for supporting a flame from the other end of the tube, a first electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby and a second electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby in spark gap proximity to said first electrode to define a spark gap therebetween, one of said electrodes being grounded, said fuel supplying means being an electrically conductive metal conduit and the grounded electrode being generally ''''J''''-shaped, including a hook element for engaging and securing to said metal conduit and extending to the supplying means and including means for securing the ceramic cylinder to the supplying means thereby grounding the electrode.
 2. The burner system of claim 1 wherein said metal conduit is a conduit for delivering a gas-air mixture.
 3. A fluid fuel burner comprising a ceramic nozzle tube, means for supplying fuel to one end of the tube for supporting a flame from the other end of the tube, a first electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby and a second electrode traversing said tube and electrically insulated thereby in spark gap proximity to said first electrode to define a spark gap therebetween, said ceramic tube being cylindrical and said first and second electrodes traversing each other.
 4. The burner system of claim 3 wherein said first and second electrodes are at approximately right angles to each other and lie generally on diameters of said tube. 